Navbar update

[JustineMumsnet]

Morning folks, and a happy 2016, one and all.

We will shortly be releasing a new version of the navbar across some areas of the site on desktop view.

The idea is to have something clearer and more streamlined and that is more in line with the mobile version (which is where the bulk of MN users are) and standard web formats. It also allows us to accommodate a larger ad format at the top of desktop site - which advertisers are demanding because that's what most other sites offer.

We've done a first round of testing on a with some users (many to them) and the response was largely positive, so we're now testing it on parts (talk, reviews) of the live site. The plan is to introduce it everywhere if all goes well.

This is very much a beta version; and we'll be continuing to make a few design tweaks to the nav bar as needed and to the rest of the desktop site to accommodate it (at the moment on Talk it looks a bit jarring for sure but we are working on improving that). We're also looking at way to fit in the angels logo at least at the top of the page (it will disappear as you scroll). So, they'll be a few more updates over the next few weeks...

Do post any thoughts, concerns, feedback here. (Bear in mind it's a work in progress and all change takes a little getting used to )

Many thanks Justine

Could you not just add an "Active" next to Add message/Report/Message Poster?

Definitely do not want anything floaty - that's why I (and the other 97%!) turned it off! Makes me feel seasick.

Thing is, I wouldn't just want "active" I'd want "I'm on" too. Those are the options I use the most. If you add them to every line next to "add message" it's going to get very busy.

I'm used to doing without the floaty bar as I use my ipad a lot. I do miss it on my laptop though.

Wouldn't it be easier to ignore the social media buttons than drown in TIW though? My TIW is 4 and two of those are long running threads.

I don't normally like floaty bars, but found that the MN one was not intrusive as it was so small.

Ah that's right, mary - I remember you benefited from my misfortune!

LHS would work for me - I'll just have to learn to notice the buttons - I currently completely ignore the social media buttons there :)

Ok I am on desktop again.

It looks strange, I think you are still waiting to put on the advertisements?

There's just a big blank space at the top of the page.

Thank goodness the preggers woman and the dog and all that have finally gone for a Burton.

It's great but it looks sort of...unfinished.

I am really looking forward to that solution when it is available.

Any update?

These things take a while - it may seem like the website just magically changed overnight, but designing and engineering and testing takes a long time.

The old bar probably wouldn't be compatible with the new design.

They have to think about "where would be put new buttons", design them, actually build it, check that it works on Chrome and Firefox and Safari and on 17 inch screens and 4 inch screens.

So, er, I think Justine may have been a bit optimistic when she said "It may take a week or so"...

As a temporary hack measure, we've added an "Active" link to the left side social media buttons to allow you to quickly reach Active Conversations no matter how far down the page you've scrolled. We'll have a better, more permanent solution later as we continue to improve the new nav bar.

I've turned off the social media bar

When the active link has changed colour because it's been clicked before, it is virtually illegible against the dark blue blob. I only realised what it was by having this thread pop back up in Threads I'm On :)

It does work though and is better than scrolling back up to the top of the screen or hitting random combinations of keys til I remember which ones take me straight to the top...

Thanks SoupDragon. We'll take a look at the colour issue.

ShamTech - is Sham your name? Or is someone suggesting that you are a pretend Tech? :)

Thanks for the Active link - can you reassure us that the requirements for the more permanent solution include easy access to "Threads I'm On" as well?

We need our TIM button :o

@Trills

ShamTech - is Sham your name? Or is someone suggesting that you are a pretend Tech? :)

Thanks for the Active link - can you reassure us that the requirements for the more permanent solution include easy access to "Threads I'm On" as well?

We need our TIM button :o

They do Trills (and yes he's called Sham and is very real, in a good way)

I don't have the social media bar on either, as I don't want to share anything on MN on social media, as I don't want to out myself!

and yes, will we be getting my our TIM button??

@skyeskyeskye

I don't have the social media bar on either, as I don't want to share anything on MN on social media, as I don't want to out myself!

and yes, will we be getting my our TIM button??

Sorry forgot to answer that bit. Yes the plan is to include TIO, TIW buttons...

Thanks Justine - I couldn't remember the namepatterns for Techs :)

Is there an official name pattern for techs? If the accepted pattern is FirstnameTech, then what about YetMoreTech? Unless somebody actually named their child YetMore...

Maybe the first one was Tech, the second was MoreTech, and the third YetMoreTech, until they realised that this was unsustainable.

@Trills

Maybe the first one was Tech, the second was MoreTech, and the third YetMoreTech, until they realised that this was unsustainable.

That's pretty much it Trills!

Oh hey there.

The "active" link in the side floaty thing with the social media links is v useful.

But I'd still really like a nice quick always-available link to TIO.

Just saying. :)

@Trills

Oh hey there.

The "active" link in the side floaty thing with the social media links is v useful.

But I'd still really like a nice quick always-available link to TIO.

Just saying. :)

We hear you, Trills...